Scooby Doo / Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Premise - Two live-action films based on the original Scooby-Doo cartoons. The stories are about Mystery Inc., a detective team comprised of the suave leader Freddie, the bombshell Daphne, the genius Velma, the hungry and goofy Shaggy, and his counterpart, the talking dog Scooby Doo. Together, they solve crimes under the strangest of circumstances, and unmask the most bizarre of monsters.
Review - Okay, I haven't watched these films in probably 12 years or more. But when I was a kid, I LOVED these films. Like, LOVED. I have a friend who adores the original Scooby-Doo cartoons and would find it blasphemous that I have absolutely no memories associated with the cartoons, only the live-action. I think the first Scooby-Doo was just about my favorite film ever at age 6. After Halloween passed, I've had these overwhelming urge to re-visit the films, just once at least, and see if they were just plain awful in hindsight. I know it's November, so I'm a little late, but honestly? It was so worth it to watch these films again.
Let me start out by saying that, if I saw these for the first time in 2018, I would not particularly enjoy them. The humor is ridiculously juvenile at times, resorting to toilet humor. But the power of nostalgia is STRONG. There is this particular sensation that is so difficult to describe, and I don't know if I like it or not, but it's so tangible and potent that I find myself wanting to experience it more. I'm going to try to describe it here, but honestly, there's no substitute for it. It's happened to me before as well. When you watched something countless times when you were younger, and I mean countless, to the point where you have it memorized, THEN proceed to not watch it for over 10 years so you can't remember ANY of it, THEN watch it again, it produces one of the strangest sensations. I remembered none of the movie, yet all of the movie, at the same time. I'm not sure if I could anticipate each moment a split second before it happened, or if in the split second after I saw it, it triggered a memory... I really don't know, but it feels like deja vu, except not, and far stronger and more trippy than deja vu. This happened to me during the entirety of both movies.
Predictably so, the first movie is better than the second movie, but I enjoyed both. I can completely understand why I loved these as a kid as well. It was a comedy, but because there was a dangerous mystery involved, there was DRAMA and HIGH-STAKES; or at least what felt as super high-stakes for someone who is 6 years old. I lived for dramatic moments from the second I could comprehend them. The films also had a respectable dose of scare to them, for young kids. The one super frightening moment was when Mary Jane (was that her name?), the blonde love interest for Shaggy, had her mask distorted. As a kid, that TERRIFIED me. I probably had to close my eyes. Even now, it triggers some sort of unconscious terror, as do other parts of the film that are, objectively speaking, not scary at all. I think it goes back to my idea of these movies triggering deep, unconscious, and emotional memories.
As an adult, there are still aspects of this movie to appreciate. I love how the colors act visually! The costumes were cartoonish (appropriately so), as Fred always wore his bright blue, Daphne her bright pink, Velma in orange, and Shaggy in green. No matter what they were wearing (red carpet suits/dresses, or casual, etc.), they'd be in their appropriate colors, and it's just fun to watch. There were also some fun scenes to watch acted out. I'll give a particular shout out to the scene where they all switch bodies multiple times, and you see the different actors act as various other members of Mystery Inc. It really highlights the archetypes within each character in a hilarious way.
There are also moments that, in reverse, I only appreciated the humor of as an adult, and not as a child. All of the references to Shaggy clearly being an ABSOLUTE stoner? Never would have crossed my mind. It's not subtle either. There's smoke coming out of the Mystery Inc. van, and he recognizes his fans by smell...
The one thing I'm really surprised made it into the movie is when Daphne and Fred switch bodies, and Fred says, "I can look at myself naked!" and then peeks down Daphne's dress. That was the most famous cinematic line uttered in my Kindergarten classroom. Everyone would quote it and re-enact it. But how were we all quoting it as Kindergarteners??? That frightens me a bit.
It's hard to give a rating. But would I watch it again? I suppose, after another long period of time. I wouldn't rule it out. I actually enjoyed this re-watch. (75/100)
Quote - "I've got a call here for a Mr. Doo?" "You mean Melvin Doo?" "No, Scooby."
What to watch for - Like I said, the ways in which the characters were so highly archetyped! The costumes, the acting... it's cartoonish but so very entertaining.
If you enjoyed these movies, I'd recommend watching the original cartoon! Or, Psych!
Directed by Raja Gosnell
Distributed by Warner Bros.
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